Air pump



l April 19, 1927. *i W. LOY

AIR PUMP Patented Apr. 19, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.l

JAMES W. LOY, 0F LONG- BEACI-I, CALIFORNlA., ASSIGNR OF ONE-THIRD TO F.M. FISHBACK, OF LONG BEACELCALIFORNIA.

AIR PUMP.

Application lcd October 23, 1923.

My invention relates to air pumps of the type adapted to be put int-oWells for the purpose of forcing` liquid from the Well to a place ofdelivery above the surface, and it has among its salient objects: toprovide a device adapted to be placed down in a Well to any desireddepth to receive the liquid to be lifted, with an air-pressure operatedvalve or gate to control the inlet of the liquid thereto, and with airpressure for forcing said liquid from said device through a dischargepipe to the surface, said air pressure being controlled at the surface;to provide in a device of the character referred to, airoperated kvalvemembers located down in the W ll and cont-rolled from the surfacethrough the medium of compressed air; to provide a a simpleandvpra-ctical, self-contained device ofthe character' referred to andto which air pipes and dischargepipe' for the liquid can be attached asit is placed down in the Well, thus providing a device which can beremoved bodily from the well for adjustments or repairs; and, ingeneral, to provide an improved means and method for forcing water, oil,or other liquid from a Well by means of air under pressure. e

In order to explain my invention, I have illustrated one practicalembodiment thereof on the accompanying sheet of drawings, in Which,

` Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view showing a Well casing With mydevice. in place therein, all shown in section and with parts broken outto reduce the length of the view:

Figure 2 is a cross sectional view taken on line 2 2 of Fig. 1,'

Figure 3 is a cross sectional viewv taken on line 3 3 of Fig. 1; Y

Figure 4 is a cross sectional view taken on line 4 4 of Fig. 1;

Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 5 of Fig. 3;

Figure G is a vertical sectional view taken on line 6 6 of Fig. 3;

Figure isa vertical sectional view taken on line 7 7 of Fig. 3; and

Figure 8 is a perspective view of an air moved valve member.

Referring now in detail to lthe drawings, the invention as here embodiedfor disc-riptive purposes, comprises a Well casing, 10, in which isYplaced a cylindrical member 11. elosed at its bottom and provided withinlet Serial No. 670,248.

openings 11` through its side, said cylinder having secured in its upperend three cylindrical members, as 12, 18 and 14, fitted closely togetheri'latwise, substantially as shown, the middle member 13 having a centralbore, a's 13a, which extends partly into the member 12, as at 12a, andpartly into the member 14, as at 14, constituting a cylinder Withinwhich is mounted a piston, 15, having a piston rod, 16, attached to acylindrical gate, 17, by means of a spider member-18. Said gate` is alsoprovided with inlet openings, 17a, adapted to register With the inletopenings 11 when said cylindrical gate is in one position, as shown inthe drawings, and to close said inlet openings 11 when said cylindricalgate or valve is moved. An outlet or discharge pipe, 19, is providedwhich is` screwed into an opening 12b in the member 12, said pipeextending down into the cylindrical member 11 and cylindrical gate 17,through thespider 18, as shown, and being provided with an inlet checkvalve, 20, at itsA lower end, substantially as shown. The members 12, 13and 15, also have holes therethrough, as 12b, 13b and 14, forming alcontinuation of said pipe, 19, with a pipe cxtension 192L screwed intothe opening 14b in the upper member 14, as illustrated, said dischargepipe, it being understood, can be extended to any desired place ofdischarge.

An air supply pipe, 21,V is extended doivn into said Well and connectedat its lou'er end tO an opening 14Crin the member 14, and a second airsupply pipe, 22, is extended down into said Well and connected at itslower end to an opening, 14d, back of the opening, 14J in Fig. 1, butseen in 7. rFliese-air supply pipes 21 and 22 are connected by means ofa valve structure, 23, with valve, 24, tl erein, with a single airsupply pipe, 25, from any suitable source of air supply. The valveY24,.can b eoperated 1n any desired manneiz/ for alternately connectingthe pipes .21 and 22 with the one supply pipe 25, as Will be clear fromthe showing. 1 have shown no special means of operating the valve 24, asthis can `be Amechanically operated, or other- Wise to alternatelysupply'air under pressure through the pipes 21 and 22. A

The block member 13, has formed therein a semi-,circularvalve chamber13, `in which is slidablyl mounted a correspondingly shaped valve memberQfrbwns at 011e en@ Civ and at the lower side thereof, an extension 2li,to cover and uncover the hole i2 when moved to one end ot the valvechamber i3, said valve el amber being slightly enlarged or cut outaround the bottom thereof to provide space to receive a lip ilange QG",around the lower tace et the valve member 2G. It will be understood thatthe hole lll-d, the 7alve chamber llc and the hole l2, together form acontinuation passageway from the air supply pipe 22, 'tor the supply o'tair under pressure through said blocks l2, 13 and l-ilv, to the cvlinder 1l, when aid valve member QG is moved to the ri eht. This willbe understood `troni Fie'. 'i'. the valve 26 being;` in section. rlheopposite ends of said valve member 3G are out away slightly. as at 26.to provide sul'lieient space around the end of said valve member whenmoved to its stop position to admit air Ator the initial movenient ofsaid valve member i'rom one end oil the valve chamber to the other endthereof. The valve member 26 is moved 'trom one end to the other by airpressure admit-ted first to one end ot the chamber 13C and then to theother end thereof, from the pipes 21 and 22,

Said valve member 26 has a vertical port, QG, therethrough. with anextension` as 26h, Fie. 8, to one sido thereofA lin the top tace of thevalve member. and with a similar ere tension. 2G". to one side thereoilin the inner laee ot said valve member, ttor a purpose hereinatte airainreferred to. Then in the position indicated in Figs. 2, 3 and t3, saidvertical port QG in the valve member 2G registers with a port. lle. inthe head block 1l. and also. at its lower end. with a port, 12C. in headbloeit lf2. while the lower extension. Q61, communicates throughpassageiavs 13 and l2". with the lower end of the piston cylinder, atl2?. under the piston 15, as seen in Fie'. G. lllhen said valve member$26 is moved to the rigg'ht. said vertical port :EGW at its upper end,continues to be in rommunication with the port ist". in the head bloeltH. bv means o l1 its extension 2G, lt will be seen that when in theposition shown in Fie. (l. exhaust 'from the piston cylinder and alsol'roin the receiving cylinder 11. is open at the. same time.

le'lerrhur aeaiu to Figs. 3 and 7. another port lill isi-formed in theside of' said head bloeh lil. at the side of the valve chai'nber L39.This port is closed when the valve member 26 is in its lett handposition. as shown. but is adapted to be opened b v the. initialmovement ot said valve member 2G to the rieht. as will be understood:trom

Fifi. This initial movement of said valve member 2th however. tirstcloses a` similar port 13S. Figs. 3 and 5, which leads to the upper endot the piston cylinder through port 14g in head block 1,4. These ports13S and les admitted the air to the piston cylin- Lesser? der to :i'oreethe piston l5 downnulrdly to open the cylindrical grate 17, as shown inFie'. l, when the valve member 2G was moved to its shown position.

The use and operation ot my invention ma)v be briel'iy stated asfollows:

lVhen the valve 2st, which controls the admission of air under pressurefrom the pipe 'as turned to the position shown and air was admitted topipe 21, the valve member 2G. at that time to the right hand end o'l thevalve chamber 13C, was moved to its shown position. the air entering' inthe eut-out portion 2G suli'cieutlv to initially start said valve memberto the lett and then forcing' it all the way to the opposite end olisaid valve chamber 13". This opened ports 13g, from the valve chamber,l5, and 1&5, admittinglv air under infessure from supply pipe 2l, to thetop ot the. piston cylinder. at. 14:", and forcingsaid pistou downwardlyand openingl the cylindrical egale i7 tor the adu mission o'li liquid tothe cylinder 1l. It also opened the ports lite, 26d. QG and 152, and120, as shown in Fig. G, to permit ew haust from the lower end ofthepiston cylinder 12, as said piston l5 moved downwardly, and to permitexhaust from the main cilinder 1l, as the liquid rises therein throughthe ports l1 and 17, ilirom the well casing 10. Thus air 'l'rom supplj7pipe 2l, operates only to move the valve member lo lo the lett` wherebyexhaust is established `trom the lower end o the piston cylinder and`trom the receiving;l cylinder, and air is supplied to the top ot thepiston cylinder to move the piston l5 dowi'iwardly and open the maininlets 1l and 1T. Now when the, valve Qi, is turned to direct air -frompipe 25 to pipe 2Q, the following' things are accomplished in the ordernamed: initial movement ot valve member Q6 to the, right; closing' olport lijf; opening' of port 1.3i to admit air to the lower end` ol thepiston evlinden as 1212 Fig. 7. to raise the pistou and close the maincylindrical `:rate il; movim; the port extension 2t? in the valvemoinber E2G to register with the port loi Fig. 3, giving exhaust tromthe upper end ot the piston cylinder. 14;. File'. 5; said exhaust beine'through the vertical port 26d in valve Q6. its e.\;lcnsion 2G, and theport lll" in head block lai. 'The final movenient ol the valve member2o. moves its tootA extension 26 trom over opening;- lil@ and thusadmits the full suppl)v et air from pipe 22, through nassae'ewavs leid.valve fhamber 13C (lett hand end thereot), passageway l2, to the top ofthe receiving cylinder l1. and forcing,` the contents therefrom throughthe cheek valve 20 and out through the discharge pipe 1.9 and 19a, aswill be understood :trom F l..

Thus with a very simple and practical apparatus, I am able with airunder pressure to manipulate the control valves and control theadmission of liquid to a receiving cylinder down in a well, and to forceit therefrom to the surface, and While I have shown but one embodimentof the invention, I am aware that changes in details can be madeywithout departing from the spirit thereof, and I do not limit theinvention to this showing, except as I may be limited by the heretoappended claims.

I claim:

l. In a pump for a Well casing in combination, a receiving` memberplaced down in said Well casing With valve controlled inlet port, avalve therein for controlling said port, cylinder and piston meanstherein for moving said valve to open and closedv positions, an airsupply pipe for supplying air to operate said piston and said valve, anair supply pipe for supplying air to said receiving member, a dischargepipe leading from said receiving member, a check valve therein to permitoutiow therefrom, and an air-operated valve mechanism for controllingthe admission of air under pressure from said air supply pipes to saidcylinder and piston and to said receiving` member.

2. In a pump for a Well casing in combination, a receiving member placeddovvn in said `ivell casing with valve controlled inlet port thereto, avalve therein for controlling said portair-operated meansinsaid'receiving member for moving said valve, a supply of air underpressure, means for admitting air under pressure to said receivingmember, a discharge pipe leading from said receiving member tothe-surface, a check valve therein, air-operated means in said receivingmember for controlling the admission of air to said receiving member,and means at the surface for controlling said air-operated means vformoving said valve and for controlling admission of air to said receivingmember. Y

3. In a pump for a- Well casing in combination,a receiving cylinderplaced doW-n in said Well casing with inlet openings through its side, acylindrical gate therein for closing said inlet openings, air` operatedmeans in said cylinder for n'ioving said cylindrical gate, a source ofsupply of air under pressure, supply pipes for carnving` said air underpressure to said receiving cylinder, a discharge pipe leading from saidreceiving cylinder to the surface, a check valve in said discharge pipe,and an air operated valve member in said receiving cylinder forcontrolling the air-operated means for moving said cylindrical gate andthe inlet of air to said receiving member, said air operated valvemember being moved by the admission of air under pressure alternately tosaid supply pipes.

4. In an apparatus of the character referred to, in combination, areceiving member to be placed down in a Well, closed at both ends, tivoair supply pipes extended thereto, a source of air under pressure, meansfor alternately admitting said air to said supply pipes, a dischargepipe from xai'l receiving member to the surface, said re eiving memberhaving inlet openings through its side, a valve member thereincontrolling said inlet openings, cylinder and piston means in the upperpart of said receiving member connected with said valve member formoving the same to alternately open and close said inlet openings, andmeans whereby air through said air supply pipes operates said piston tomove said valve member.

5. In a pump for a Well in combination, a container placed down in saidWell to receive liquid therefrom, an inlet valve therein for controllingthe infioW of liquid to said container, operating means in saidcontainer, connected to said valve, and controlled at the surface foropening and closing said valve, a discharge pipe from said container tothe surface, an air supply pipe to said container, means for supplyingair under pressure to said container to force liquid therefrom throughsaid discharge pipe, and a valve mechanism in said container forcontrolling inlet and exhaust ports from said container, said valvemechanism being operated by air pressure from the sui'- face,substantially as referred to. p, 6; In aV pump for a Well incombination, a container placed down in said Well,.said container havinginlet openings to receive liquid from said Well, a gate for controllingsaid inlet openings, pneumatic means in said container for operatingsaid gate, a discharge pipe from said container to the surface, a. checkvalve in said discharge pipe, air supply pipes from the surface to saidcontainer, means for supplying air under pressure alternately to saidsupply pipes, and a valve mechanism in said container, adapted to bemoved .by air pressure from said supply pipes alternately yinV oppositedirections, said valveV mechanism being designed to control theadmission of air tothe pneumatic means'for operating said gate and the`admission of air to said container to force liquid therefrom,substantially as described.

7. In a pump fora Well in combination, a container placed down in saidWell, pneumatically operated mechanism in said container forintermittently admitting liquid thereto from said Well, a discharge pipefrom said container to the surface, an air supply pipe from the surfaceto said container for supplying air to force liquid out through saiddischarge pipe, pneumatically operated valve. mechanism in saidcontainer to control the admission of said air to said container and tothe mechanism for admittint;l liquid to said container, and means at thesurface for controlling' the supply of air under pressure to saidcontainei1 and its air operated mechanisms.

S. ln a pump for a Well in combination, a container placed down in saidWell, a discharge pipe from said container to the sur i'ace, saidcontainer having;` a gate controlled inlet openingl to admit liquidthereto, a cyl inder with piston therein in said container, said pistonbeing connected to open and close said gate,^t\\'o air supply pipes fromthe surface to said container, means for controlling' the admission otair under pressure alternately to said supply pipes, and a y'airemechanism operated alternately by the air ilroin said supply pipes lorcontrollingl the admission oit air to said cylinder for operating saidpiston and rejate, and iter admittingl :ir to said continuer to torceliquid therefrom through said discharge pipe.

Si. ln a pump tor a well in combination, a container placed down in saidnell and having' inlet openings through its side, a gate. therein toopen and close said openings, a discliarge pipe l'rom said container tothe surface, a. check valve in said pipe, a cylinder with piston thereinin said container and connected for operating;` said gate, two :irsupply pines from the surface to said container, means for alternatelyadmitting' air under pressure to said supply pipes, a valve mechanism insaid container for alternatel v admittingair from said supply pipes tothe top and bottom ot said cylinder l'or operating; said gaie, saidvalve mechanism being: adapted to control the admission ol air to saidcontainer 'for forcing liquid therelrem through said discharge pipe, andmeans whereby the alternate supply et air through said two air supplypipes alten nately moves said valve mechanism vfrom one position toanother to operate said mechanisms `tor receiving' liquid from said Welland dischargfinp, it through said discharge pipe.

l0. ln a mechanism of the character re- `fieri-ed to, in combination, acontainer adapted to be placed down into a Well of liquid,gatecontrolled inlet through the side ot said container, a cylinder Withpiston therein "forming a part ol said container in said Well lioroperating' said gate, air supply pipes from tl ve surface for supplyingair under pressure to said cylinder and said container,

a discharjije pipe `from said container to the surface lor discharging,rliquid from said container, a control valve in said discharge pipe, ashittable valve mechanism 'toriningzga part ot' said container, in saidWell, to control thc admission ot' air under pressure 'trom said supplypipes` to said cylinder and to said container, said slii'ttable alvemechanism being' operable by air from said supply pipes, whereby thealternate supply ot air through said pipes operates said mechanisn'isrelative to each other to admit liquid to said container and to iiorceit outI through said discharge pipe, substantially1 as described.

il. ln an air pump, in combination with a container to be placed down ina well, and havingl inlet openings, a valve therein for controllinici`said inlet openings, a cylinder and piston forming a part ol saidcontainer and having its piston connected to said valve ior moving;r thesame to open and close said inlet openings, a shiitable valve member insaid container tor controlling inlet and exhaust ports Ylrom saidcylinder t0 move said piston, air supply pipes :from the surface to saidcontainer and to said shi'ttable valve member, whereby air alternatelyfrom said supply pipes operates to shiit said valve and move said pistonand said valve for control ling: the inletl openings to said container,and a discharge pipe troni said container to the surface.

l2. in an apparatus oi the character rcerrcd to, a cylindrical containerhaving its lower end closed and having ahead structure provided With acylinder and piston therein, said container haring inlet openings in itsside, a gate valve therein connected with said piston and adapted to bemoved thereby to open and close said inlet openings, air supply pipesfrom the surface to said container, a discharge pipe from said containerto the surface, a valve member associated with the cylinder and pistonin said head structure and adapted to be moved automatically by airpressure to control the admission of air to said cylinder `for movingsaid piston, and means for controlling the supply of air from thesurface through said air supply pipes, substantially as described. Y

Signed at Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California, this 9th day oiOctober, 19223.

JAMES iV. LOY.

